Terminal box for pipes



Feb. 3, 1931. LAKE 7 1,791,277

' TERMINAL BOX FOR PIPES Filed March 10. 1928 iii 9 1 15 J 3g Z531 x 24 Q 16 1b Patented Fe b. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- H HARRY E. LAKE, 01' NEW YORK,

N. Y., ASSIG NOB TO PREFERRED UTILITIES MANU- FACTURING CORPORATION, 01' NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE mammal. BOX son. was

Application filed larch 10, 1828. Serial No. 280,746.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described, reference being to the accompanyin drawing which shows one embodiment of t e invention selected by 6 me for purposes of illustration, and said inemployed for charging storage vention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

The object of my invention is to provide a terminal box or closure for pipes, especially adapted for use in connection .with pipes tanks with liquid fuel as gasoline, kerosene, fuel oil or the like, for example, but which may be employed for any other purpose for which it may be found advantageous or desirable. A feature of my invention resides in the fact that the devlce is provided with a closure, which may be screwed into place to form a gas tight closure, flush with the upper or outer edge of the box and forming therewith, a very simple and efiicient flush box when it is desired to set the same in a cement or other body flush with the surface thereof, and the box is also provided with an auxiliary cover adapted to be placed over the box and secured thereto by a suitable lock, with or without the main or flush closure, to form a lock box without additional expense beyond the nominal price of the auxiliary closure or cover, andavoiding the necessity from the manufacturing and sales standpoint of making and carrying in stock two separate boxes, for the two purposes mentioned. My invention also comprises the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of the complete device used as a lock box, and engaging the terminal portion of a pipe pro- I jecting above the ground.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the box as shown in Fig. 2, the pipe being indicated in section.

Fig. 4 represents the box with the auxiliary cover removed, and set in cement or concrete had bo flush with the surface thereof, as a flush x. Fig. 5 is a top plan viewof the box with the auxiliary closure or cover removed.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a key which may be conveniently employed in connection with the main or flush closure.

As shown in the drawings, 1 represents the cylindrical box body, or casting, which may be formed of any suitable material as cast or malleable iron or steel, and is preferably treated as by galvanizing or otherwise, to protect it against oxidation. The body is provided with a central bore or aperture, the lower portion of which is interiorly threaded at 2, to enable it to be attached to the terminal threaded portion of a pipe which it is desired to close, the pipe being indicat d at 3, and the threaded portion thereof at 4.

The interior of the box body, or casting, is preferably provided with an interiorly threaded portion, indicated at 6, above the threaded portion, 2, to receive the threaded portion of a closure, and also to receive the nipple of a filling pipe, when desired. In practice, the threads, 2, are formed by means of asuitable tap insertedfrom the bottom of the casting, and the threads, 6, are formed by inserting the tap in the opposite direction from the upper end of the casting. The upper end of the box body, or casting, is also provided with an enlarged portion, 1, above the threaded portion, 6, containing an annular recess, 7, of greater diameter than the threaded portions, and forming a horizontal shoulder, 8, and a packing ring or gasket, 10, is inserted between the shoulder, 8, and the closure. I prefer to provide the lateral walls of the recess, 7 with an annular groove, 9, having its lower edge in the plane of the shoulder, 8, forming an undercut portion, to engage the outer edge of the packing ring, or

gasket, and hold it against accidental disa y 11 represents the mam closure which is provided with a threaded cylindrical portion,

12, for engaging the threads, 6, of the box body, and with a projecting horizontal annular flange indicated at 13, adapted to fit within the vertical wall of the recess, 7, and engage thegasket, 10, the upper face of the closure indicated at 14, being substantially flush with the upper surface of the box, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. In order to provide for the rotation of the closure, 11, the upper face is provided with a key engaging recess, and I prefer to form this recess by roviding the plane or horizontal portlon o the upper face of the closure with recesses, 15, 15, disposed transversely to each other and providing four angular shoulders, 15, disposed about and in close proximity to the center of the closure, as shown in Fig. 5, and having their bottom faces curving up to the top face of the closure, as indicated at 16 in Fig. 2 so that the bottom surface portion of each recess, which forms art of the outer surface of the closure exten s continuously from a point in the plane or horizontal portion of said surface to another point therein, the bases of said bottom portions of said recesses lylng in a common plane. This construction enables the recesses to be readily cleaned out to receive a key such as indicated in Flg. 6 for example, provided with a stem, 17, handle, 18, having one end sharpened as at 18, to serve as a tool to clean out the recesses, 15, if necessary, and four projections, 19, to engage said shoulders, having curved lower faces, 20, to fit the recesses, 15, thus enabling the closure to be tightly screwed down upon the washer and to be unscrewed when desired. The closure, 11, is formed of any desired metal, and I prefer to make it of-brass or bronze or other noncorrodible material, to prevent it from rusting in.

The upper part, 1*, of the box containing the recess, v7, projects outwardly from the exterior of the cylindrical lower portion thereof, forming an annular shoulder, 1 and is preferably connected therewith by radial webs, 21, of which four are shown, to remforcethe upper part of the box, and said webs also in cement or concrete, as indicated in Fig. 4.

The box is also provided with a cap or cover for use therewith when the device is used as a lock box. This cap or cover, also formed preferably of cast metal as iron or steel and galvanized to protect it from the weather, comprises the horizontal top section, 22, having a depending annular flange adapted to surround the upper end, 1 of the box, and provided preferably with an inwardly extending locking lug, 23, adapted to extend beneath the annular shoulder, 1", thereof, between two of the webs, 21, and at a point opposite the locking lug, 23, the cap or cover is provided with a downwardly extending locking ear, 24;, having an aperture, 25, ex-

revent it from being unscrewed from the pipe, 3, when the device is set flush tending therethrough with its axis disposed radially with respect to the box and cover,

to receive the bow or shackle, 26, of a padlock, 27, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the cover is thus locked in position, it is prevented from being lifted off by the lug, 23, and the bow or shackle of the padlock which will engage the shoulder, 1 of the box body, and the cover will be prevented from rotation beyond a limited extent by the engagement of the locking ear with the webs, 21.

WVhere the device is used as a flush box, the cap or cover is not used, and the box is set in concrete, cement or other material, as in a pavement or floor, and flush with the surface thereof as shown in Fig. 4:. Where it is desired to use it as a lock box it Will be furnished with the cap or cover, and in such case the box body will be applied to pipe, 3, so as to stand clear above the surrounding surface as indicated in Fig. 1, and when the cap or cover is locked in place the main closure cannot be removed or tampered with,without first unlocking the padlock and removing the bow or shackle from the locking ear, when the cap or cover may be lifted off and the closure unscrewed with the key. The shape of the slots, 15, makes it difficult to remove the closure, 11, without a key.

It will be seen that the box may be sold with or without the cap or cover according to the use to which it is to be put, and the manufacturer and dealer instead of being obliged to carry two complete boxes can carry the boxes and a certain number of covers, thus effecting economy in the manufacture, sale and transportation of the articles, and my improved construction provides a neat attractive and efficient lock box, which by leaving off the cap or cover constitutes an equally neat,'attractive and efficient flush box.

It will be seen that by undercutting the walls of the recess, 7, as indicated at 9, the packing washer lies beneath and extends across the annular crevice between the outer edge of the closure, 11, and the wall of the recess, 7, and thus seals it against the possibility of water working its way to the pipe, 3, while the pipe is sealed against the escape of gas or vapor from the pipe, which might "otherwise escape and constitute a fire hazard.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A terminal box for pipes having a main body provided at its lower end with interior pipe engaging threads, and adjacent to its r rounding said portion of the main body 0 and adapted to be brou ht into flush relation with the outer walls thereof, and a detachable cover, provided with a depending flange surrounding the portion of the body of greater diameter, and provided with an inwardly projecting locking lug, and with a downwardly extending lockin ear provided with an a rture havin a re ial axis to receive the ow of a pa ock, to preventthe removal of said cover.

2. A terminal box having a cylindrical main body provided interiorly with a threaded portion to engage a threaded terminal of a pi e, and having a portion at its upper end 0 greater diameter forming-an annular horizontal shoulder beneath the same, of a removable cover provided with a downwardly extending annular flange surgreater diameter, said flange being rovided with an inwardly extending loc ing lug to extend beneath said shoulder, and a downwardly extending locking ear provided with an aperture having its axis disposed radially with respect to the cover, and adapted to receive the bow of apadlock beneath said shoulder to prevent the removal of the cover.

3. A terminal box having a cylindrical main body provided interiorly with a threaded portion to engage a threaded terminal of a pipe, and having a portion at its upper end of greater diameter forming an annular horizontal shoulder beneath the same, of a removable cover provided with a downwardly extending annular flange surrounding said portion of the main body of greater diameter, said flange being provided with an inwardly extending locking lug to extend beneath said shoulder, and a downwardly extending locking ear provided with an aperture having its axis disposed radially with respect to the cover,-and adapted to re-. ceive the bow of a padlock beneath said shoulder to prevent the removal of the cover, and

a flush closure engaging said main body beneath said cover.

4. A terminal box for pipes, having a main body, provided at its lower end with means for attaching it to a pi e, and provided adjacent to its upper end wit closure engagin threaded portions, a flush closure rovi ed with threaded portions to engage t ose of the box, having a closed top provided with key engaging recesses in its outer face disposed transversely with respect to each other, providin four angular shoulders disposed about an in close proximity to the center of the closure, the bottom faces of said recesses extending gradually upward from the angular portions of said shoulders substantially to the plane of the top surface of the closure to facilitate cleaning said recesses.

5. A terminal box for pipes, having a main body, provided at its lower end with means ,boxj, having a closed top provided withkey for attaching it to a pipe, and provided adacentto its upper end with closure engaging 'threadedportions, a flush closure provided with threaded portions to engage those of the f in conformity with the bottom faces of said recesses.

6. A terminal box for pipes havin a main body provided at its lower end wit means for attaching it to a pipe, and provided adjacent to its upper end with closure engaging threaded portions, a flush closure provided with threaded portions to engage those of-the box and having a closed top, the outer face of said top comprising a plane portion provided with a key receiving recessed portion, the bottom surface portion of which curves. inwardly substantially continuously from a point in the plane portion of said face to another point therein to facilitate the cleaning of such recessed portions.

7. A terminal box for pipes having a main bottom surface portion of each of said recesses extending in a substantially continuous curve from a point in said face to another point therein, the bases of said bottom portions of said recesses lying in a common plane. 7

8. A terminal box for pipes having a main body provided at its lower end with means for attaching it to a pipe, and provided adjacent to its upper end with closure engaging threaded portlons, a flush closure provided with threaded portions to engage those of the box and having a closedtop, the outer face of said top comprising a plane portion provided with a plurality of key engaging recesses disposed angularly to each other, the 12 bottom surface portion of each of said recesses extending in a substantially continuous curve from a point in the plane portion of said face to another point therein, the bases of said bottom portions of said recesses opposlte y extending recess engaging 1 inlcommon lune andake rovided vzi tii angularly disgosedpair's of a ial projecting ortions to enter said recesses, the

ortions of the ke havin their bottom was formed in asu tantia y eontinuous curve, the intersecting portions of said bottom surfaces lying in a common lane.

In testimony whereof afixm si ature. I I

v HARRYlg. LX KE. 

